Young Sun Choi began the afternoon’s session with J.S. Bach’s A-flat major Prelude and Fugue from the first book of the Well-Tempered Klavier. Her Bach was smooth and seamless, with a mellow, rounded sound. She continued with Chopin’s Etude in F major op. 10 no. 8, dazzling the audience with rapid 7 figuration in this buoyant etude. The Rachmaninoff etude that followed (op. 39 no. 1) has been a popular one this competition, and Choi gave us another impressive and enjoyable interpretation to listen to. In Rachmaninoff’s prelude in E-flat major (op. 23 no. 6), Choi created a dreamlike soundscape of floating chords and melodies, pulling the listener in with a soft and intimate sound. 

The second half of her program featured Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat major op. 7. Choi’s first movement featured an exciting, driving pulse, clear passagework, and a luminous overall sound. Her second movement was finely controlled and full of intense expression, even in the silent moments—every gesture had a distinct intention. This movement was the highlight of her program for me. The third and fourth movements were also enjoyable to listen to, as Choi continued to play flawlessly and with superb control. 

Zhu Wang chose to start his program with Scarlatti Sonatas K. 13 in G major and K. 29 in D major. From the outset, he cultivated an excellent tone in these two lighthearted pieces. The D major sonata was especially suited to demonstrating his excellent pianism, with rapid passagework in major interspersed with yearning melodies in the minor mode. For his classical sonata, Wang played Beethoven’s Sonata in A-flat major op. 110. The second of Beethoven’s three late sonatas, op. 110 is a monumental piece of great complexity, with many different sections woven together and then concluded by an elaborate fugue. Wang brought a polished and precise sound to the piece, always listening to the sound of the piano in the hall and taking care that his intentions were clearly projected to the audience. He managed a true sense of freedom in the opening of the slow movement, leading into a beautiful and lyrical rendition of the “Klagender Gesang” section, which translates from German to mean “wailing song” or “lamenting song,” a deeply expressive and sorrowful melody. The closing fugue was well paced and led to a brilliant and satisfying conclusion. 

Wang’s etudes (Debussy no. 8 “ornaments” and Rachmaninoff op. 39 no. 1) were also fantastic. He brought a myriad of colors and layers to the Debussy, seeming to control an entire ensemble of instruments from the keyboard. If Debussy is about carefully layering different lines and sounds on top of one another, then Rachmaninoff is all about blending melodies and harmonies into a colorful whole. Wang’s Rachmaninoff etude burned with a fiery passion, and then his closing piece (Rachmaninoff’s transcription of Kreisler’s “Libesfreud”) delighted with playful and sparkling cascades of notes surrounding the familiar waltz tune. 

What’s next: Now that all the contestants have performed their first-round program, the jury will deliberate and announce who will move on to the quarterfinal round tomorrow. The contestants who advance to the next round will have less than 24 hours to adjust and mentally prepare for their 60-minute solo program on Wednesday!